You definitely want to do all 3 essays. You don’t have to do the “Top 5 reasons” (my D didn’t and got in to school of Architecture and Urban Studies). But you should tailor them to Tech. My D did the Ut Prosim one and was able to put another of the essays on her academic interest in specific context of Tech’s strategic investment in creative technology (something they address on their website). On this latter point, I think this was a big reason why she got in. Lastly, I told my D that on any application that includes an “optional” prompt to write an essay about diversity, she should write an essay about diversity (thought and perspective more so than race/gender/orientation).
@Stellauna27 I wouldn’t worry too much! It sounds like she’s right on track! I was accepted ED as a Biological Sciences major this year with a 4.33 weighted GPA (4.0 unweighted) and a 1340 SAT. I took the PSATs as a sophomore and again as a junior, and my score as a junior was 1290. Just encourage her to keep up the good work, and she should be just fine! Most people do better on the SATs than they did on the PSATs with very little actual SAT prep. The extra year of instruction will teach her a lot of the information that was on the test that she didn’t know.